October Breezes Read Free Page B

later.”
    “Does that include me?” Devin swalowed hard, and his back stiffened.
    I cringed, and wondered.
    “You can’t answer that, can you? You may not believe in anyone else, but you stil believe in me.” Devin rested his chin atop my head. His hands covered mine. “Why can’t you give him a chance? What if he’s worth it?”
    “I’m not wrong. He’l leave. Soon.”
    “And if he doesn’t want to, you’l force him, won’t you?”
    he replied, sitting at the coffee table. He took my hand. “Maybe that’s what you want.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous,” I scoffed.
    Devin arched his eyebrows, and his blue eyes stared defiantly. “I’m not. But he might stick around despite your efforts.
    Then what are you going to do?”
    “Want to bet?” I jerked away and folded my arms across my chest. “I can be the Daughter from Hel. It’s worked so far. I mean, gee, I was so good I got rid of my own father. Imagine that--
    just drove him away.” My voice dripped with sarcasm, but I didn’t feel sarcastic, not one bit. I baled my fingers so tightly my nails dug into my palms.
    “You had nothing to do with that. It was a choice he made
    —a lousy one.” He touched my forehead, brushing an errant stray hair from my eyes. “And one day, he’l realize just how lousy a choice he made and he’l come looking for you.” He wiled me to meet his gaze, but I couldn't.
    “Right--when Hel freezes over he’l be back.” I retorted.
    “I’l get rid of Warren, one way or another—before he gets rid of me.”
    "I doubt he's trying to do that. " Devin crossed his arms over his chest, mimicking me, but he looked far more daunting than I felt. “You’ve taken this as a chalenge, haven’t you? Wel, I don’t think Warren is going to make it easy.”
    “We’l see,” I said.

    * * *
Later that evening I lay on my bed, procrastinating as usual, dreading my trig homework. I thought absently about starting it when the phone rang. I folded my hands behind my head, figuring it was probably the Mockingbird Man, caling my mother.
    “Skye? It’s for you,” My mother yeled.
    I walked into the living room. Picking up the phone, I yeled, “I’ve got it, Mom” as I cradled the receiver against my chest.
    I lifted the receiver. “I take it you’re stil struggling with those adverbial clauses?”
    “Adverbial clauses?” asked a familiar voice I couldn’t recognize. “Yeah, I’m sure I have trouble with them, but that’s not why I’m caling.”
    “Who is this?” I asked sharply, feeling myself blush. And why does this voice sound so...nice?
    "Kelin, the guy you’re going out with tomorrow.” A slight pause filed the line. “Who did you think it was? Devin?”
    Something bothered me. The way he said Devin's name seemed sarcastic, but not quite. “Sometimes he cals,” I finaly admitted. But it was a half-truth at best. Devin and I usualy caled each other every night. It was a ritual. Then again, that wasn’t so unusual between best friends.
    “So why are you caling? Did something come up?” I spoke my wishful thoughts aloud as I leaned against the wal. I could hear my mother washing the dishes.
    “No, nothing came up,” he said. “I just caled to talk. I wanted to hear your voice.”
    I roled my eyes and wondered how many times that line had worked. “It’s the same as it was yesterday.” I looked at my feet, enjoying the carpet seeping between my toes.
    “Skye, I’m not a bad guy; you’re not giving me a chance.”
    Another pause. “I must be treading on toes here. You and Devin are going out, aren’t you? If you don’t want to go tomorrow--”
    A flush crept into my cheeks. I could back out. This was my chance. But what if I hadn't given him a fair chance? Any other girl would have given anything to be with him. I chewed my lip before I finaly responded. “I want to go.”
    “Then why do you seem so shocked I would cal?”
    I twirled the phone cord around my fingers. “Why do you want to take me